Container for testing coal and method of testing



W. J. KLAIBER CONTAINER FOR TESTING GOAL AND METHOD OF TESTING Feb. 9 1926.

'Filed Sept. 12, 1923 INVENTOR un h Patented Feb. 9, 1926.

UNITED STTES 1,5723%. PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER J. KLAIBER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIE, ASSIGNOR TO THE KOPPERS. COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A COE?ORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CONTAINER FOR TESTING COAL AND METHOD OF TESTING.

Application filed September 12, 1923.

To oZ who/n it M/[L'I/ concern Be it known that I, WALTER J. liniinnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, and State 01 Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Containers for Testing Coal and Methods of Testing, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to containers for testing purposes, and more particularly to containers for testing the coking characteristics of small quantities of coal or similar material, and to a method oi testing.

It has been customary heretofore to test the coking characteristics of a given kind of coal by placing a sample thereof in crushed or pulverized form in an impervious metal box provided with a cover, and, alter securing the cover securely in position, to embed the box in the mass of coal inthe coking chan'iber of a by-product coke even, where it is converted into coke along with the main charge in the chamber.

This method of testing has the advantage that it protects the coal being tested from contamination by the surrounding coal. An objection to the use of a box of this character having a fixed cover, however, is that the pressure due to the weight of the overlying coal in the coking chamber is not transn'iitted to the coal in the box, so that the latter is not subjected to the same pressure conditions as exist in the surrounding oven charge. For this reason, the product resulting from the test is likely to be a porous or spongy mass, whichis not a true criterion by which to determine whether the tested coal has the desired characteristics.

By the present invention I have overcome this objection to the container having the lined cover by the provision of a container having a cover aiul meaus associate-d there-- with permitting the cover to transmit the pressure of the overlying coal in the coking chamber to the coal within the container, while preventing the cover from scparat ing from the container when, for example, the container is overturned in ren'ioving the surrounding coke from the coking chamber.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown, for purposes of illustration only, one embodiment of the present invention, it being understood that the drawings do not Serial No. 662,229.

define the limits of the invention, as changes may be made in the construction therein disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of my broader claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of a container constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the cover in operative position, and

V Figure 2 is a detail section view, on an e1'ilargedscale, illustrating the means for securing the cover in position.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the d awings, the container coniprises a container body 2 which is preterably of rectangular. form and ot a width adapting it to be placed within the coking chamber of a by-product coke oven of usual construction. The body 2 may be provided with suitable handles 3.

Cooperating with the body 2 is a cover adapted to lit within the body and having an upstanding flange 5. Preferably the cover will be of a size to make a fairly loose fit with the body, so that there will be a slight space, say between the flange 5 andthe walls of the body to permit escape of gas from the container. The body is provided adjacent its upper edge with a series of vertically extending slots 6, and openings 7 are provided in the flange 5 adapted to register with said slots. Extending through the openings 7 and registering slots 6 are bolts 8 provided with nuts 9 and washers 10.

In using this container, the cover at will first be removed and the body 2 filled with the coal to be tested to a height such that when the cover is replaced to rest on top of the coal within the container, the bolts 8 will be positioned about midway in the slots 6. as illustrated in Figure l. The nuts 9 will be left rather loose to prevent a binding action between the flange 5 ot the cover and the walls oi the body. The container will then be embedded in the mass of coal in the coking chan'iber of the byproduct oven, this being conveniently done by placing the containerin the oven before the filling of the chamber. Thereafter the coal within the container will be converted into coke along with the surrounding coal in the chamber.

It will be apparent that with this type of construction, the weight of the coal in ill) the coking'chamber overlying the cover t will cause said cover to exert a pressure on the coal Within the container corresponding to the weight of the over-lying coal. It the coal within the container contracts during the coking, the cover will move downwardly, and if it expands during th coking, the cover will rise, but the space within the container will remain substantially closed and thereby contamination of the coal within the container by the surrounding coal in the coking chamber will be substantially prevented. In other words, this construction enables the coal to be tested under substantially the same pressure conditions which actually exist in the full oven charge, while preventing it from being contaminated by the surrounding coal. This is a very important advantage arising from the invention, in that, among other things, it enables a determination as 'to whether a given type of coal is satisfactory for by-product coking as regards shrinkage, it being important that the coal used in this type of oven be one which shrinks suftieiently to permit ready pushing of the coke out of the oven. Then a container having a fixed cover is employed for mak ing the test, this question of shrinkage cannot be satisfactorily determined because the coal in the box is not subjected during the test to the pressure conditions which it would be subjected to if it formed a part of the full oven charge. 7

lVhile I have shown and described a particular formof means for securing the cover to the container body while permitting, movement thereof, it will be readily appreciated that other forms of securing means may be employed. It will also be understood that I do not limit myself to the particular construction of cover shown and described.

I claim:

1. In a method of testing coal or similar material, the steps consisting in embedding a relatively small quantity of said coal in the mass of coal in a coking chamber of a coke oven, and converting said embedded coal int-o coke along with the surrounding coal while protecting it against contamination by but subjecting it to the pressure of at least a portion of the latter, substantially as described.

2. In a method of testing coal or similar material, the steps consisting in embedding a relatively small quantity of said coal in the mass of coal in a coking chamber of a coke oven, and converting said embedded coal into coke along with the surrounding coal while protecting it against contamination by the latter but subjecting it to the pressure of the overlying coal, substantially as described.

3. A container for testing coal or similar material, comprising a container body, a cover for said body, and means engageable with the edge portions of the cover t'orsccuring said cover to said body, said means permitting limited motement of said cover to increase or decrease the space within said container while maintaining said space substantially closed, substantially as described.

a. A container for testing coal or similar material, comprising a container body, a cover adapted to have a telescopic fit with said body, one of said parts having slots therein, and a plurality of fastening members carried by one of said parts and ex tending through the slots in the other oi said parts, whereby to permit movement of said cover with respect to said body while preventing said cover from moving out 01? telescopic relation therewith, substantially as described.

5. A containerfor testing coal or similar 'material, comprising a container body hav" ing vertical slots in the walls thereof, a cover for-said body adapted to fit within the same and having an upstanding poripheral flange,'and a plurality of tastening members carried by said flange and extending through the vertical slots in the walls of said body, substantially as described.

6. A container for testing coal or similar material, comprising a container body, a cover adapted to fit said body with a slight clearance and adapted to transmit the pressure due to a load placed upon said cover tothe contents of the container, and means for securing said cover to said body said means permitting relative movement between said body and cover without in: creasing the clearance thcrebetweeu, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

\VALTER J. .lx'LAIBEll. 

